Anna grassmann



A. GRASS'MANN.

(No Model.) I

CORSET.

Pat entd Sep t 1, 1896.

m: Noams PETERS so, wncrroumc, WASHINGTON v UNITED STATES :PATENT- O FICE.

ANNA GRASSMANN, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

CORSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 567,027, dated September 1, 1896.

Application filed April 9,1896. Serial No. 586,788. (No model.) I

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANNA GRAssMANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corsets; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to corsets, and has for its object the improvement of that class of corsets which are constructed to terminate at the waist-line, an elastic extension or attached pieces forming the hip-sections.

My invention is constructed especially with a View of supplying the demands of ladies Who practice bicycle-riding or engage in other athletic amusements. By the use of my invention all the advantages of the ordinary corset are preserved, while no inconvenience results from free muscular movement either above or below the waist-line.

Each constituent element of my invention is described in detail, and its oflice, together with the mode of operation of the whole, is fully explained hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein like letters are used to designate like parts throughout, Figure 1 represents an inside plan view of the right half of my invention, and Fig. 2 represents an outside plan view of the left half, each half being provided with attachments exactly like those upon the other half in construction and position.

Considering Fig. 1, A designates the right half of my invention, which is composed of two similar halves or divisions. Gores a a in the front and top of half A are constructed and placed to accommodate the wearer, and two series of eyelets a a or other equivalent devices are provided along the back and front edges of the half with a cord or lacing d of ordinary construction and operation,attached near the top of series of eyelet a For purposes of ventilation and as an aid to flexibility an opening B is provided midway between the rows of eyelets of half A, and, as customarily made, a stiffener b bounds one edge of the opening B. From the waist-line upward the opening B increases in breadth and is crossed at intervals by the elastic straps .O, D, E, F, G, and H, of successively-increasing length. The space between the straps permits a free circulation of air, while their elasticity and situation materially augment the flexibility of the entire half. In constructing my invention stiffeners may be placed between the series of eyelets and the edges of the materials, or, as is usually the case, light bones are stitched in upon both sides of the series. (See Fig. 1.) LetterJ marks each of the short stiffeners, and K the long ones, which are alternately placed in each half as stiffening ribs, according to the common practice.

L designates the elastic hip-sections attached one to each half of myinvention. This portion may be of any chosen material and its elasticity may vary from that degree possessed by many fabrics due to their peculiar structure to a specially-prepared cloth embodying rubber strands and susceptible of considerable distension.

It will be observed in Fig. 1 that the long stiffeners K extend below the waist-line of my invention and are attached to the hip-sections, as are also the flexible ribs which are placed upon both sides of the series of eyelets a a previously mentioned.

A feature in relation to the stiffeners employed in the construction of my invention is that they are all terminated before reaching the edge of the material of which the corset is composed.

M designates certain stifleners placed diagonally at the back and near the top of each half, as shown in both figures, to stiffen the back portions laterally.

N N mark the shoulder-straps, one being attached to each half. The straps comprise an elastic section a, a series of eyelets n, and in Fig. 2 appears a hook n attached to the front of the half shown therein, with which the eyelets n are adaptedvto be engaged. Letter 0 designates a cord or lacing employed to connect both halves at the back.

The operation and oflice of the lacing O is believed to appear suiiiciently plain in the drawings.

P designates the left half of my invention and corresponds in all respects to the righthand half. It possesses goresp, rows of eyelets p 132, back and front, with lacing p attached to the front series of eyelets at the top. Half P is provided with the following features, which are precisely like those described in connection with the right half A, and are, therefore, marked by the same let ters.

The duplicate features are divergent opening B, bounding stiffeners b, elastic straps O, D, E, F, G, and H, short and long stiffeners J and K, elastic hip-piece L, shoulder-strap N, having elastic section at, a series of eyelets n', and attached to half P in front is a hook n for engagement with said eyelets. (See Fig. 2.)

I am aware that corsets have been constructed which terminate at the wais'tline, and that elastic straps have been used to give increased flexibility to certain parts of such garments, and I do not claim those features broadly.

I am not aware that the special combinations and arrangements of parts shown and described in this application havebecn known heretofore.

That I claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States, is

A corset comprising two separable and corresponding halves provided with suitable stiffeners and fasteners, each half consisting of a body part of inelastic fabric having a portion between the front and rear edges where said fasteners are located cut away to the waist-line, and an elastic fabric band secured in place of said cut-away portion, the body part of each of said halves provided with an opening beginning at the waist-line and extending with increasing width to the top of the corset, a stiffener fixed along one edge of said opening, and elastic straps of different lengths attached at intervals across said opening from stiffened to unstiffened edge, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANNA GRASSMANN.

Witnesses:

XVILLIAM KAVANAGH, EMIL F. KEUNE. 

